British invention restores sight to world’s oldest cataract surgery patient

After enduring a decade of poor vision, 109-year-old Guo Liansheng has been given back the gift of sight by UK intraocular lens (IOL) experts, Rayner.

Before implantation of a Rayner IOL, Madam Guo struggled to detect even the vaguest light changes. Afterwards, she was able to look into her eight-month-old great-great-granddaughter’s eyes for the first time.

Last year, a cataract in Madam Guo’s left eye was replaced with a premium-quality Rayner lens in a cost-effective and simple procedure. She was so impressed with the result that, after consultations with the Hospital team, she elected to have the same procedure on her right eye within a year of the first operation.
Madam Guo was keen to move quickly so she would be able to see members from five generations of her family, who would be visiting for the Year of the Dragon New Year celebrations. The surgery is now pending a Guinness World Record for the World’s Oldest Cataract Surgery Patient.
Both of Madam Guo’s operations were performed by Dr Chu Tao, a cataract expert at Shanghai New Vision Ophthalmic Hospital. Dr Chu Tao used C-Flex 570C lenses (her left eye was 17.5D and right eye 19.0D, with excellent final refractive results). The hospital covered all of the 109-year-old’s costs.

Nearly 6,000 miles away, Rayner – the company that developed the lens that has given the 109-year-old visual clarity – has been honing its science since 1949. Guo Liansheng’s heart-warming story is the latest in a long line of successes and with the help of worldwide charity organisations, such as IMPACT, Rayner’s IOLs have restored sight to hundreds of thousands in the developing world.
Rayner’s CEO, Donald J. Munro, says: ‘We are used to our products improving the lives of people all over the world but it’s especially gratifying when you hear a story like this. The technology is so advanced now, and the procedure so simple, that almost anyone can benefit from vastly improved eyesight. It’s also proof that age is no barrier to health aspirations – and why should it be? This is very much a sign of our times and the huge inroads we have made in medical research and development. We wish Guo Liansheng and her family well!’ 

About Rayner Intraocular Lenses Limited.
Rayner, the pioneering intraocular lens (IOL) manufacturer has over 60-years of dedication to improving vision and the restoration of sight worldwide. With an unrivalled history of commitment to the advancement of IOL technology, Rayner had the unique honour of manufacturing the world’s first IOL.
Rayner is also the first and only IOL manufacturer to receive the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade (2009). Rayner’s injectable hydrophyllic IOLs are designed for both patient and practitioner ease and comfort, and are available in monofocal, multifocal, toric and  supplementary and models. Headquartered in Hove, East Sussex, United Kingdom, Rayner sells and markets its IOL products to over 70 countries worldwide, through a network of distributors.

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Kristine Morrill at KAMCommunications/medeuronet UK Ltd.

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